Brief: This article explores the issues of state’s sponsored terrorism and points out the reality that all weaponry in the 21st century are lethal including those that belt around the human body. Therefore, 21st century is a century for corporation not confrontation…….
From July 4th to July 8th, a small group of peace activists took direct action against the Afghan War by blockading the secretive Swan Island military base in Queenscliff in Victoria. The peaceful picket resulted in 10 arrests throughout the week. It was a week of empowering actions that will hopefully be a stepping stone towards building a mass movement of direct action to stop the Afghanistan War.
Related: Day1: Claiming Space -- Day 2: Four activists arrested -- Day 3: Resistance continues -- Day 4: Third day of arrests -- Day 5: Week culminates in arrests and meditations -- Convergence website -- Transparency or collusion: Reflections on the Convergence
A week of protests at the top secret military base of Swan island has ended with a blockade lit with 400 candles representing the deaths in Afghanistan and more arrests as protestors breached police lines. The convergence in Queenscliff has continued all week as a protest against the unnecessary and ineffective war in Afghanistan, and to draw attention to the role that the top secret Swan Island base plays in the war. The war is now into its tenth year – as long as Australia’s involvement in Vietnam.
On July 6th, the day after the death of another Australian soldier in Afghanistan was announced, the protests at the Swan Island Military Base continued. Two more activists were arrested at the morning picket of the gates. Charged with “Hindering police” and “obstructing a roadway” they faced the Geelong Magistrates Court where they given a $400 fine each. Read an account from one arrestee of their day. Some great photos of the days action can be viewed here
Anti war activists have geared up their protest by blocking access to the secretive Swan Island military base near Queenscliff at 6am today (Tuesday 5 July 2011). Four protesters from Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth were arrested arrested this morning picketing the base as about 40 local and visiting activists converged in the small town in protest against Australia’s continuing participation in the US-lead war in Afghanistan.
I would have called today the warm up – but its freezing down here and the wind is blowing a gale! Today is Independence Day in the US, so our theme was ‘Independence from the US’ day. Our call was for Australia to be gutsy enough to make our own decisions about our involvement in Afghanistan. It was also to challenge the notion that there is anything liberating about Australia’s involvement in Afghanistan. So we began the morning on the steps of Flinders St Station, with a human statue of liberty, with 20 people dying in around her feet.
Over the last year and a small group of antiwar activists from Melbourne have been escalating our nonviolent resistance to the war in Afghanistan, focussing on the Swan Island Military Base off Queenscliff, Victoria. Australia has 1550 troops in Afghanistan; most are involved in mentoring and training Afghan National Army, but approximately 350 are the elite SAS, who are doing the targeted killings. Swan Island is one of two major training facilities for SAS troops, as well as the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS).
Australian peace activists are taking direct action against military expenditure, war games, the U.S. alliance, the Afghanistan War and the trial of Julian Assange over the next few weeks. On June 28th in Adelaide, activists are picketing a Defence Industry Expo. From July 4th-8th a a blockade of the Swan Island military base is occurring to protest the Afghanistan War.
Stop the War Coalition statement June 2, 2011
“We will see the mission through” — Australian troops will stay in Afghanistan “until the job is done”. This was the response of Prime Minister Julia Gillard to the May 23 death of Sergeant Brett Wood, 32. It is the standard response of Australian governments to casualties in the Afghanistan war.
Stand Fast Press Release 25th May 2011 "Crocodile tears and deceit" is what Stand Fast spokesperson, Hamish Chitts has called the responses of PM Gillard, Defence Minister Smith and Air Chief Marshal Houston to the death and injury of more Australian soldiers in Afghanistan. Stand Fast is a group of veterans and ex-service people opposed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The death brings the total of deaths in 10 years of war by Australians in Afghanistan to 26, half of them in the last 12 months.
